Process and system for converting waste to energy without burning

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a power recovery process in waste steam/CO 2  reformers whereby a waste stream can be made to release energy without having to burn the waste or the syngas. This invention does not make use of fuel cells as its critical component but makes use of highly exothermic chemical reactors using syngas to produce large amounts of heat, such as Fischer-Tropsch. It also relates to control or elimination of the emissions of greenhouse gases in the power recovery process of this invention with the goal of producing energy in the future carbonless world economy. A New Concept for a duplex kiln was developed that has the combined functionality of steam/CO 2  reforming, heat transfer, solids removal, filtration, and heat recovery. New methods of carbon-sequestering where the syngas produced by steam/CO 2  reforming can be used in Fischer-Tropsch processes that make high-carbon content compounds while recycling the methane and lighter hydrocarbons back to the reformer to further produce syngas at a higher H 2 /CO ratio.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/287,996, filed Oct. 14, 2008, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,858,900, incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application involves related subject matter to U.S. Patent Application No. 60/749,306, was filed Dec. 12, 2005, incorporated herein by reference.

The invention relates to a process and system in which a waste stream can be made to release energy without having to burn the waste or the syngas and consume oxygen and have large carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time the waste can be converted into a carbon-containing fertilizer, hydrogen fuel, and a carbon-sequestering, high-carbon content product of important commercial value, such as unsaturated, high-density paraffin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The process and system for carrying out the steam/CO₂ reforming chemistry to accomplish this has been patented by the author (U.S. Pat. No. 6,187,465, issued Feb. 13, 2001 and CIP U.S. Pat. No. 7,132,183, issued Nov. 7, 2006, filed Jun. 23, 2003) and deals with waste steam/CO₂ reformers interfacing to fuel cells. And CIP of patent application Ser. No. 10/719,504 (examined by Ryan/Lewis) filed Nov. 21, 2003 deals with cleaning the syngas produced in waste steam/CO₂ reformers interfacing to fuel cells to produce energy without poisoning their sensitive catalysts.

There is a great need to destroy a wide range of waste streams generated around the world and at the same time to convert this carbonaceous waste into useful hydrogen-rich syngas by two methods: (1) to drive a fuel cell and (2) to feed a Fischer-Tropsch unit—both to produce clean energy.

The challenge and problem with fuel cells has been their extreme sensitivity to various unknown chemical poisons at parts per million levels coming from the waste streams from harming the electrochemical catalysts of the high temperature fuel cells. By comparison Flory-Huggins catalysts in Fischer-Tropsch reactors (such as supported iron and cobalt catalysts) are much less sensitive to poisons than fuel cells and are highly exothermic.

CO+2H₂→1/n(—CH₂—)_(n)(l)+H₂O(l) ΔH°₂₉₈=−231.1 kJ/mol

Conversion of syngas to methanol using copper catalysts in the gas phase or liquid-phase catalysts are exothermic and also less sensitive to poisons.

CO+2H₂→CH₃OH(l) ΔH°₂₉₈=−128.2 kJ/mol

There is syngas methanation that is highly exothermic:

2CO+2H₂→CH₄+CO₂ ΔH°₂₉₈=−247.3 kJ/mol

And there are many other highly exothermic reactions that can use syngas and preferably produce useful high-carbon content chemicals of commercial use.

This thermochemistry is well known (R. F. Probstein & R. E. Hicks, “Synthetic Fuels,” McGraw-Hill, N.Y., 1982, 490 pp.). And all of these highly exothermic reactors produce high-grade useful energy. So they all can convert syngas with enough exothermicity to make large amounts of electricity, steam and heat. Importantly, these exothermic reactors can substitute very well for fuel cells. Thus, it is the purpose of this patent to cover methods and process systems to convert waste to energy without burning the waste but to sequester the carbon of the waste so carbon gases are not released

The composition of the syngas was determined in detail by the author in a recently completed gas test using the Bear Creek Pilot plant where solid waste was steam/CO₂ reformed to make syngas. The syngas composition is shown in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Results from Pilot Plant Gas Test By Steam/CO₂ Reforming Of Solid Waste H₂ Hydrogen 62.71 vol % CO Carbon Monoxide 18.57 CO₂ Carbon Dioxide 10.67 CH₄ Methane 7.58 C₂H₆ Ethane 0.48 C₃ TO C₆ Propane through hexane <0.01 C₆H₆ Benzene <17 ppm COS Carbonyl Sulfide 4 ppm CS₂ Carbon Disulfide 0.05 ppm H₂S Hydrogen Sulfide <5 ppm C₁₀H₈ Naphthalene 2.6 ppb C₁₀H₇CH₃ 2-Methylnaphthalene ~0.6 ppb C₁₂H₈ Acenaphthalene ~0.4 ppb C₁₂H₈O Dibenzofuran 0.36 ppb PCDF + PCDD Polychlorinated- 0.0041 ppt TEQ dibenzofurans + Dioxins

The pilot process configuration used to conduct these tests is described in a recent publication (T. R. Galloway, F. H. Schwartz and J. Waidl, “Hydrogen from Steam/CO₂ Reforming of Waste,” Nat'l Hydrogen Assoc., Annual Hydrogen Conference 2006, Long Beach, Calif. Mar. 12-16, 2006).

What has been found experimentally was that the syngas was very rich in hydrogen and carbon monoxide and also quite pure. For fuel cells the key poisons, such as carbonyl sulfide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, hydrogen chloride, and polychlorinated organics were identified. For Fischer-Tropsch, methanol synthesis, methanation, etc., this syngas is very acceptable.

Another important part of power recovery is to reduce the energy losses of the waste-reforming kiln. Previously covered was a process interface involving a conventional kiln, followed by a desulfurizer and a high temperature filter in the CIP of patent application Ser. No. 10/719,504 (examined by Ryan/Lewis) filed Nov. 21, 2003. The problem is that the kiln was operated at a high temperature, followed by an even higher temperature steam/CO₂ reformer which is then followed by the desulfurizer and high temperature filter—all energy-inefficient from heat losses from the process units themselves and from the complex of hot process piping. Also this was expensive, as well.

Regarding Fischer-Tropsch, the challenge was to develop a process train where the Fischer-Tropsch unit could produce enough high carbon product, such as high density, unsaturated paraffin wax containing little hydrogen, so that the carbon in the waste feed would be sequestered in this product, without significant carbon emissions leaving the process anywhere else. The Fischer-Tropsch train also had to produce steam for a steam-turbo-generator to make enough electricity to drive the process plant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a power recovery process in waste steam/CO₂ reformers whereby a waste stream can be made to release energy without having to burn the waste or the syngas and consume oxygen and have large carbon dioxide emissions. This invention does not make use of fuel cells as its critical component but makes use of highly exothermic chemical reactors using syngas to produce large amounts of heat, such as Fischer-Tropsch. It also relates to control or elimination of the emissions of greenhouse gases in the power recovery process of this invention with the goal of producing energy in the future carbonless world economy.

The significant improvement in this process train for power recovery is an improved duplex kiln that combines the functions of the conventional kiln, steam/CO₂ reformer, and the high temperature filter into a single unit. The desulfurizer/getter bed can operate at a lower temperature and can follow the duplex kiln.

Further improvements that involve using the above duplex kiln and getter bed in a process train that includes a heat exchanger/steam superheater are disclosed that will rapidly quench-cool the syngas down from 300 to 500° C. (600 to 900° F.) temperature range of the desulfurizer to 150° C. (300° F.). The concept here is to rapidly quench the syngas so that the undesirable heavy hydrocarbon recombination reactions (i.e. “De-Novo”) that make dioxins and furans do not have time to form, since they are kinetically limited. These recombination reactions involve multi-step polymerization &/or ring formation and are slowed as the temperatures are lowered.

Next, the Brayton cycle turbine is used to recover energy from the high temperature gas, while cooling it for feeding to both the Fischer-Tropsch unit to produce the high-carbon content product for sequestering the carbon and the shift converter and pressure-swing absorber to produce hydrogen fuel.

As an alternative, a conventional indirectly fired, calcining kiln can be used where the very hot syngas exiting from the steam reformer can heat carbon dioxide gas or air to supply the indirect heat to the kiln to take over from the natural gas burners commonly used.

The Fischer-Tropsch reactor, as discussed above, is highly exothermic and produces vast quantities of high quality steam for operating a conventional steam turbo-generator system for powering the plant.

So what has been accomplished in this invention is the conversion of a waste stream by steam/CO₂ reforming to produce a syngas that is used in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor to produce energy and sequester the carbon of the waste at the same time.

It will be obvious for those skilled in the art, to replace the Fischer-Tropsch reactor with other highly exothermic reactors that produce a high-carbon content product for sequestering carbon and produce large amounts of energy. Also interchanging the syngas cleaning process units around while keeping the same functionality are covered under this invention. All such generalizations are covered by this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In FIG. 1, there is shown the improved duplex kiln that combines the functions of the conventional kiln, steam/CO₂ reformer, and the high temperature filter into a single unit. In FIG. 2, is shown how the new concept of a duplex kiln can be followed by a desulfurizer/getter bed, quench heat exchanger for provided superheated steam for the duplex kiln, and the Brayton turbine for generating power by cooling the syngas, which is then fed to both a Fischer-Tropsch reactor and Shift/Pressure Swing Absorption System. In FIG. 3 is shown the advantage of using a Fischer-Tropsch process consisting only of two units that simply makes the high-carbon product, makes steam and accomplishes sequestration carbon balance in capturing nearly all of the carbon dioxide emissions. FIG. 4 shows the spiral heat exchange Fischer-Tropsch Reactor. In FIG. 5 is shown how the Fischer-Tropsch process that makes paraffin wax product for carbon sequestration accomplishes recycling the light hydrocarbons consisting of methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, etc. to avoid their emissions as powerful greenhouse gases (i.e. methane) and also recycling the lighter hydrocarbons to help maintain a higher H₂/CO ratio of the syngas. It also describes how a waste stream can be made to release energy without having to burn the waste or the syngas. At the same time the waste can be converted into use carbon-containing fertilizer, hydrogen fuel, and a carbon-sequestering, high-carbon content product of important commercial value, such as unsaturated, high-density paraffin wax.

FIG. 6 shows the use of a conventional indirectly fired, calcining kiln where the very hot syngas exiting from the steam reformer can heat carbon dioxide gas or air to supply the indirect heat to the kiln to take over from the natural gas burners commonly used. The process flowsheet layout is given in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, the functionality of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 is combined into a single kiln to increase the thermal efficiency and reduce the cost. This design is referred to as the Duplex Kiln. This new kiln concept combines all the high temperature process components of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 into a single unit, greatly reducing heat loss and thus achieving very much higher thermal efficiency.

Referring to FIG. 1, the waste stream 100 is fed through a sealed lockhopper 102 down into the internal region 103 of the kiln 104. The lockhopper is of novel design in that these two sliding port rectangular knife gate valves are spaced apart so that the top valve opens and a column of waste is dropped down through this valve, at which point it is then closed, cutting through the column of waste. Then the knife gate valve below is opened dropping the portion of waste captured between these valves is dropped down into the kiln. Next, the bottom valve is closed and the top valve opened, thus repeating the cycling. What is novel is that these sliding port rectangular knife gates have hardened sliding gate edges driven by powerful hydraulic actuators that are capable of cutting through a column of waste, such as municipal solid waste. This is important since the column of waste will be produced by intermittent loading from external sources and will be of varying height depending on how quickly this waste is added to the column. In this way a very intermittent waste stream is converted to a steady stream of regular pulses of fixed amounts of waste are fed into the kiln, making the kiln operation, for all practical measures, a continuous process.

Referring to FIG. 1, once the waste 100 enters the kiln 104, the hollow flight auger 106 moves this portion of waste admitted by the knife gate lockhopper slowly along the kiln from left to right. This waste is heated by very hot gas passing inside of these screw auger flights 106. The outside of the kiln in this region is heated by electrical heat tracing 108 to reduce heat loss. The kiln body 110 itself in this example is 48″ in diameter and 22 ft long with the wall made of high temperature alloy, such as Incoloy 800H. The waste is being steam/CO₂ reformed in the region 103 of the screw between these hollow flights 106 where the temperatures range from around 200° F. in the feed end at the left to around 900° F. leaving the last screw flight on the right, at which point the solids remaining after reforming drop out at the solids exit, 112.

Referring to FIG. 1, after the syngas leaves the screw flights moving to the right, they enter the annular regions 114 and 116 which are separated by a perforated heavy wall cylinder 118 of Incoloy 800 HT which is heated inductively by the outside coils 120. This syngas moves to the right through this double annular region where it is heated from 480-1050° C. (900 to 1900° F.). Within this annular region are located spiral flights to swirl the gas in a gas cyclone operation for removal of entrained solids. At its highest temperature this very hot syngas passes through a porous alumina filter 122 on which any fine particulate entrained material is deposited. As the solids build up on this porous filter they can be removed by pulsing an external steam source 124 entering through conduit 126 through rotary seal 128. As the solids deposited on this filter 122 are blown off, they are moved to the left by spiral flights 130 to remove these fine solids out the exit pipe 112. The syngas, which is now cleaned of fines, passes through large ports 132 in the central shaft 134. Inside this shaft there are swirl vanes 136 that thorough mix the steam 124 added to this region with the syngas to complete the reforming chemistry. This finished syngas passes through this swirl vane region 138 from right to the left inside the central shaft 134. As this finished syngas leaves the swirl vane region it is blocked by plug 140 at which point the finished syngas passes through large ports 142 in the central to enter into the internal region of the hollow flights 144. This very hot finished syngas at about 1000° C. (1800° F.) is now rapidly cooled as it gives up its sensible heat to the incoming solid waste 100 passing countercurrently in the region 103 outside of these hollow flights 106. Once this finished syngas is cooled to about 150-480° C. (300-900° F.) it passes from the internal volume of the last hollow flight 146 through large ports 148 into the inside of the chamber 150. This chamber 150 is fitted with a rotary seal 152 so the finished cooled syngas passes out of the kiln via conduit 154. The outer shell of the kiln 110 is egg-shaped in cross section 156 to allow ample regions for the syngas to pass outside the hollow flights. This kiln shell is fitted with flanges 158 at both ends that includes bearings 160 through which the internal central shaft 134 rotates. There is a motor drive and gear assembly 162 that rotates the central shaft 134 around which are the hollow flights 106, the annular heated cylinder 118 and its spiral flights 130.

Now referring to FIG. 2, the above kiln 104 is shown interfaced to the shift/PSA unit using its exhaust recycle 236 and the Fischer-Tropsch process 220 recycling the methane and light hydrocarbon gases via 222 back to the steam/CO₂ reforming kiln. These streams involving the waste 100, the fuel cell anode exhaust 210 and the Fischer-Tropsch overhead stream 222 are combined with the proper amount of steam 224 to carryout the steam/CO₂ reforming inside the kiln 104. Particularly important to note is that these two recycle steams both involve greenhouse gases, CO₂ and CH₄, which would otherwise be released to the atmosphere. For example, we find a long forgotten reaction, that has not been commercially exploited, can be accomplished. It is:

CH₄+CO₂→2H₂+2CO

In our improved process these problem gases are not released to environment but profitably utilized.

This reaction equilibrium favors the H₂ and CO at temperatures around or above 700° C. (1300° F.) so that when the syngas moves from the hollow flight section of kiln 104 in FIG. 2 into the double annular regions 114, and 116, which involves temperatures around 1050° C. (1900° F.), so that this reaction is almost 100% completed as the synthesis gas leaves kiln 104 in line 200. Note that this consumes CO₂ and produces more syngas that can be used in the fuel cell as well as in Fischer-Tropsch. This reaction is favored at the high temperatures of our steam/CO₂ reformer wherein the syngas of H₂/CO ratio around 1.0 is produced. Also using our '465 patent and its continuation, the reaction:

CH₄+H₂O→3H₂+CO

can be accomplished in our steam/CO₂ reformer to produce a syngas of H₂/CO=3, so again we can adjust the H₂/CO ratio to whatever Fischer-Tropsch needs (i.e. say 0.7 to 1.4). So recycling this combination of CO₂ and CH₄ as well as other light hydrocarbons is of significant advantage.

Here, using the empirical formula for typical municipal solid waste, we show two reactions: first the conventional steam reforming using a stoichiometric amount of steam to make just CO and H₂.

Referring to FIG. 2, the synthesis gas is moved by the turbo-blower 210 powered by electric motor 212 and divided into streams 214 and 216. Any excess heat from the Fischer-Tropsch process 220 in the form of steam in line 224 can be used to drive a conventional turbine 226 powering electric generator 228 for providing electricity to operate the system as set forth in the examples below.

Example #1 Stoichiometric Steam

C₁H_(1.67)O_(0.47)+0.53H₂O→CO+1.36H₂

In this case 1 kg of waste will yield 1.45 kg of syngas.

Example #2 Superstoichiometric in CO₂ and C₂H₄

By contrast, here is the improved reforming reaction which involves a substoichiometric amount of steam but has the light hydrocarbon Fischer-Tropsch and shift/PSA overhead represented for simplicity by C₂H₄, plus CO₂ and H₂, added.

C₁H_(1.67)O_(0.47)+0.55C₂H₄+0.69H₂+1.5CO₂+0.04H₂O→3.68CO+2.67H₂  [1]

In this case, 1 kg of waste will yield 5.11 kg of syngas, which is a very significant 350% increase in the mass of syngas product formed from a given mass of waste.

This achieves the formation only of CO and H₂, and thus is stoichiometric which respect to the combination of steam plus CO₂ plus C₂H₄. Thus, less steam (i.e. sub-stoichiometric) is required and greenhouse-problematic light hydrocarbons and CO₂ can be used in large amounts to achieve overall the stoichiometric conversion to syngas desired with a preferred H₂/CO ratio around 0.73. CH₄, C₃H₈ or other light hydrocarbons are actually involved in the real world in combination with C₂H₄ shown in the reaction. In a typical Fischer-Tropsch process all of these light hydrocarbons are formed and would be in the recycle. Thus, the use of Fischer-Tropsch is simplified. The CH₄ is produced as the major part of the waste light gases coming off the tops of the Fischer-Tropsch gravity separator. No distillation is required. Any other light gases that are also carried along with the waste CH₄ can go back to the steam reformer as well.

We believe that it could even be economic to recycle 100% of the CO₂ and whatever optimum amount of CH₄ from Fischer-Tropsch to make the whole system balance, sequestering all of the CO₂ while making useful paraffin wax that is high in carbon content, high in commercial value, and not burned in its lifecycle. So in FIG. 2 the Improved Carbon Sequestration can be accomplished as shown by the carbon balance. Thus, by adjusting the carbon in the Shift/PSA recycle 236 plus the carbon in the Fischer-Tropsch overhead recycle 222, the carbon in the waste 100 is made to just equal the carbon in the Fischer-Tropsch product. So what could be accomplished is the total sequestration of the carbon in the waste by the formation of the high carbon content paraffin wax. It will be obvious to one skilled in the art to identify other Fischer-Tropsch products passing through exit 221_that can be selected that will accomplish this total carbon sequestration. Commercially, there may be an economic optimum situation where one may not want to sequester all of the carbon in the waste, but this example shows that this is theoretically possible with our new concept.

FIG. 3 shows how simplified the Fischer-Tropsch process can become in this new steam/CO₂ reforming process of waste conversion with recycle streams. Referring to FIG. 3, the cleaned and warm syngas 154 from the kiln 104 shown in FIG. 2 is passed into an air cooler 300 where it is temperature-controlled to about 180° C. (350° F.) at the exit of the air cooler 301. This stream 301 is then fed to the compressor 302 where the pressure is increased from around one atmosphere (15 psig) to 3.5 MPa (468 psig) at its outlet 303 which feeds the Fischer-Tropsch reactor 305 containing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst 304 within its vertical tubes 324. These vertical tubes containing catalyst are surrounded with water 308 under pressure and this water boils to maintain the proper temperature. The liquid paraffin formed as desired is circulated by pump 312 at a rat controlled by valve 314. This reactor carries out the synthesis reactions making a range of hydrocarbons from CH₄, light hydrocarbons up to heavy hydrocarbon paraffins while releasing a very substantial amount of heat.

The reaction below shows how the syngas produced in reaction [1] above can be used to make high carbon-content products such as high density, unsaturated paraffin wax as a means of sequestering carbon in a product that has significant commercial value. The other compounds formed can be recycled back into reaction [1] so that they are not released to the environment. Also there are some CO₂, H₂ and H₂O that can be recycled as well from the shift converter 230 and PSA unit 234, with the H₂ stream exiting in line 232. Again, C₂H₄ is being used to represent the large range of light hydrocarbon gases for simplicity of discussion.

3.68CO+2.67H₂→0.055C₂₀H₃₀+0.55C₂H₄+1.47CO₂+0.734H₂0  [2]

The temperature, pressure, H₂/CO ratio of the syngas, and the residence time together control the molecular range of the Fischer-Tropsch products 316 that is then fed into the separator 318. The mixture of hydrocarbons gravimetrically separates here into three fractions: water 320, paraffins 322 and light gases overhead 332. So it can be seen that this is a very simple process, not requiring complex distillation, crystallization, or boiling. And it is this interfacing with the steam/CO₂ reforming kiln and the fuel cell that makes such a simplification possible and novel.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art to identify other Fischer-Tropsch reactor concepts different from the conventional catalyst—packed, multi-tube exothermic but isothermal reactor. Such a reactor consists of a spiral heat exchanger where the catalyst is placed in the spiral annular regions (made by Alfa-Laval, particularly common in Europe). Such a design is shown in FIG. 4 that shows the spiral heat exchange Fischer-Tropsch Reactor wherein the syngas feed 500 enters into the spiral annuli 512 that are packed with supported catalyst. The converted syngas consisting of the light gases and some unconverted syngas leaves from nozzle 502. These annuli are immersed in water 508 with its level controlled at the end of the annuli. The exothermic heat boils the water to make steam in disengaging bell 506 which leaves via 504 to feed a steam/turbo generator. The boiler feedwater enters via nozzle 514. At the bottom of the reactor the liquid paraffin wax forms within and drains out the exit of annuli at 518 leaves nozzle 516. Paraffin wax recycle from the separator 318 (shown in FIG. 3), enters the outer spiral annulus through nozzle 510.

Finally, FIG. 5 describes how a waste stream can be made to release energy without having to burn the waste or the syngas. At the same time the waste can be converted into use carbon-containing fertilizer, hydrogen fuel, and a carbon-sequestering, high-carbon content product of important commercial value, such as unsaturated, high-density paraffin wax.

Referring to FIG. 5, the waste stream enters the process as stream 100 into rotary kiln 450 where it is steam/CO₂ reformed via the chemistry in reaction [1] above to form a high-hydrogen content syngas stream 154 where its high temperature heat is used in boiler 416 to produce steam 418, as well as a high carbon content product steam 112 that contains glass and metal as well as a high NPK fertilizer solid particulate of commercial value. The reaction in kiln 104 uses light gases, CO₂, and steam recycled as 402 from downstream process units consisting of shift converter 458, pressure-swing absorber 456, Fischer-Tropsch reactor 452 and its paraffin product separator 454. This recycle stream 402 comes from the combined streams 400 made up of 222 and 306 plus stream 414 made up of streams 410 and 412. The syngas 154 produced in kiln 104 is split into two streams 303 and 404, with 303 feeding the Fischer-Tropsch units 452 and 454 producing paraffin product 322 and stream 404 feeding the Shift 458 and PSA 456 that produce hydrogen product 408 and optional CO₂ at 409. In addition, the Fischer-Tropsch unit 452 is highly exothermic and produces large amounts of steam 420 that can be used to drive a steam turbine to make electricity to run the plant and be exported for sale. Water streams 316 and 320 are used to make up boiler feedwater. So the net result of this linkage and interface of the three process blocks of steam-reforming of waste to the Shift/PSA and the Fischer-Tropsch is to convert the waste to hydrogen fuel and into high-carbon NPK fertilizer and carbon-sequestering paraffin with a huge release of heat. And this is done without burning the waste and without releasing the huge amounts of greenhouse gases typical of a combustion process. This patent teaches the way of the future of destroying waste and producing steam, heat and useful products in the carbonless economy of the future.

FIG. 6 shows the use of a conventional indirectly fired, calcining kiln where the very hot syngas exiting from the steam reformer can heat carbon dioxide gas or air to supply the indirect heat to the kiln to take over from the natural gas burners commonly used. Now referring to FIG. 6, the above kiln 590 is shown interfaced to the shift/PSA unit using its exhaust recycle 236 and the Fischer-Tropsch process 220 recycling the methane and light hydrocarbon gases via 222 back to the steam/CO₂ reforming kiln, and the products via 221. These streams involving the waste 100, the fuel cell anode exhaust 210 and the Fischer-Tropsch overhead stream 222 are combined with the proper amount of steam in line_224 to carryout the steam/CO₂ reforming inside the kiln 104.

This reaction equilibrium favors the H₂ and CO at temperatures around or above 700° C. (1300° F.) so that when the syngas moves from the conventional calcining kiln 104 in FIG. 6 into the steam/CO₂ reformer, 600, which involves temperatures around 1050° C. (1900° F.), so that this reaction is almost 100% completed. Following this reactor, 600, stream 205 passes into heat exchanger 206 wherein an inert gas, such as CO₂ produced elsewhere in the process, or outside air, 208 is heated by the very hot syngas in steam 205 to be fed via streams 208 and 602 into a series of multiple indirect burners 608 of the conventional kiln. These burners, conventionally used for natural gas, would be replaced with an injection jet that would supply the very hot gas directly into the oven-furnace area of the conventional kiln. The rest of the process is the same as in FIG. 2.

Example #3 CO₇ Enriched Syngas

A further improvement in the reforming reaction which involves a substoichiometric amount of steam but has the light hydrocarbon Fischer-Tropsch and shift/PSA overhead represented for simplicity by C₂H₄, plus CO₂ and H₂, added.

C₁H_(1.67)O_(0.47)+0.2567C₂H₄+0.2CO₂+1.434H₂O→1.123CO+0.591CO₂+3.029H₂

In this case, the reformation reaction is allowed to form CO₂ in the syngas, such that the stoichiometric ratio of (H₂—CO₂)/(CO+CO₂)=1.42 which is favorable for the Fischer-Tropsch reaction as follows:

1.123CO+0.591CO₂+3.029H₂→0.0757C₂₀H₃₀+0.2CO₂+1.904H₂O

This achieves an increase in the amount of paraffin formed and greenhouse-problematic light hydrocarbons and CO₂ are entirely recycle back into the reformer, with a small portion of the water condensed as product water. Thus, the use of Fischer-Tropsch is further simplified. As before, the CH₄ is produced as the major part of the waste light gases coming off the tops of the Fischer-Tropsch gravity separator. No distillation is required. Any other light gases that are also carried along with the waste CH₄ can go back to the steam reformer as well. The important result is that there are no CO₂ emissions since the CO₂ formation in the Fischer-Tropsch is entirely recycled back into the reformer.

So in FIG. 2 what has been achieved in this case is the entire elimination (i.e. stream 216 is zero) of the Shift/PSA process step at a capital savings. Likewise, in FIG. 5, stream 404 is zero. So what is accomplished in this case is the total sequestration of the carbon in the waste by the formation of the high carbon content paraffin wax. It will be obvious to one skilled in the art to identify other Fischer-Tropsch products that can be selected that will accomplish this total carbon sequestration. Commercially, there may be an economic optimum situation where one may not want to sequester all of the carbon in the waste, but this example shows that this is theoretically possible with our new concept.

Example #4 Process Flowsheet Mass Balance

The process flowsheet layout based on FIG. 5, but with all the process details, was completed and the mass balance done where the flow split of sending syngas to Shift/PSA system and to Fischer-Tropsch was varied. The chemistry within the steam reformer was given in reaction [1] above and in the Fischer-Tropsch unit in reaction [2] above. The results have been summarized in Table 2 below, showing how the products of the waste-to-energy plant, such as hydrogen, water, carbon dioxide and paraffin can be varied depending on the needs of the customer and the marketplace. The case is for wet waste with 15% water and a scale of 4 tonnes/day.

TABLE 2 The Process Choices Set the Products That Are Made Shift Fischer Net PSA Tropsch H₂ H₂ Water CO₂ Paraffin Electricity % % Recycle Kg/hr Kg/hr Kg/hr Kg/hr kWe 62 38 Low 490 −1547 6587 859 185 62 38 Hi 395 −922 5823 1093 235 50 50 Hi 254 0 4096 1441 310 38 62 Hi 232 229 4416 1526 328 19 81 Hi 46 1475 2888 1984 426 0 100 Low 0 2264 1928 2290 492 0 100 Hi 0 3842 0 2875 618 0 100 OptCO₂ 0 1594 0 3851 861

As the process option is shifted more toward Fischer-Tropsch, more paraffin, water, and electricity products are made and less hydrogen fuel produced. With all Fischer-Tropsch, no hydrogen and no carbon dioxide are produced and the amount of water, paraffins, and electricity are maximized. The electricity is a net number, after the internal electricity consumption within the plant is removed and used. The last line in Table 2 covers the case presented in Example #3, showing a great increase in Fischer-Tropsch product as well as electricity generated.

Example #5 Process Flowsheet Heat & Mass Balance for Maximum Hydrogen

The process flowsheet layout is given in FIG. 7.

The detailed heat and mass balance for the Process flowsheet for maximizing hydrogen production using a cellulose feed is given below:

STREAM SUMMARY - Cellulose Stream Number 1 3 4 Stream Name Strm 1 Strm 3 Strm 4 Thermo Method Option GLOBAL GLOBAL GLOBAL Vapor Fraction 0 1 0.2441006 Temperature C. 25 50 23.97223 Pressure kg/cm2 1.18822 18.30545 1.18822 Enthalpy kcal/hr −568658.428 5939.92631 −562718.501 Entropy kcal/K/hr −1601.801 −55.70444 −1562.611 Vapor Density kg/m3 7.08434 0.5120275 Liquid 1 Density kg/m3 1145.39015 1145.55729 Liquid 1 Specific Gravity 60 F.@STP 1.14771 1.14767 Vapor Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 7.00204 6.96086 Vapor Cv kcal/kgmo/C. 4.97593 4.97023 Liquid 1 Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 74.1567 73.88081 Vapor Viscosity cP 0.012585 0.0115689 Liquid 1 Viscosity cP 1.35416 1.3574 Vapor Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.0869059 0.0769098 Liquid 1 Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.0433377 0.0434341 Vapor Flowrate m3v(NTP)/hr 382.50232 391.4952 Liquid 1 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr 0.6580313 0.6579975 Liquid 2 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr 249.06799 247.15388 Molecular Weight 31.1575 10.6878 26.2756 Molar Flowrate kgmol/hr 54.4973 17.0678 71.5652 Mass Flowrate kg/hr 1697.999625 182.4172328 1880.418569 Note: All Liquid 1 Phase calculations exclude Free Water Molar Flowrate By Component 200: D-Glucose kgmol/hr 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose kgmol/hr 2.20858  4.402E−15 2.20858 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 62: WATER kgmol/hr 52.2888 0.043561 52.3323 48: CARBON MONOXIDE kgmol/hr 0 5.66596 5.66596 1: HYDROGEN kgmol/hr 0 11.3563 11.3563 2: METHANE kgmol/hr 0 0.002054 0.002054 49: CARBON DIOXIDE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 65: ACETYLENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 40: BENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 3: ETHANE kgmol/hr 0  1.442E−10  1.442E−10 4: PROPANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE kgmol/hr 0  1.332E−09  1.332E−09 1088: PHENOL kgmol/hr 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE kgmol/hr 0  9.511E−16  9.511E−16 6: N-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE kgmol/hr 0  1.797E−16  1.797E−16 3114: 2-BUTYNE kgmol/hr 0   1.76E−09   1.76E−09 Total kgmol/hr 54.4973 17.0678 71.5652 Molar Composition By Component 200: D-Glucose molar % 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose molar % 4.05264114 2.57913E−14 3.086108891 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE molar % 0 0 0 62: WATER molar % 95.94750566 0.255223286 73.12534584 48: CARBON MONOXIDE molar % 0 33.1967799 7.91719998 1: HYDROGEN molar % 0 66.53640188 15.8684668 2: METHANE molar % 0 0.012034357 0.00287011 49: CARBON DIOXIDE molar % 0 0 0 65: ACETYLENE molar % 0 0 0 40: BENZENE molar % 0 0 0 3: ETHANE molar % 0 8.44866E−10 2.01495E−10 4: PROPANE molar % 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE molar % 0 7.80417E−09 1.86124E−09 1088: PHENOL molar % 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE molar % 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE molar % 0 5.57248E−15 1.329E−15 6: N-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE molar % 0 1.05286E−15  2.511E−16 3114: 2-BUTYNE molar % 0 1.03118E−08 2.4593E−09 Total molar % 100 100 100 Stream Number 5 6 7 Stream Name Strm 5 Strm 6 Strm 7 Thermo Method Option GLOBAL GLOBAL GLOBAL Vapor Fraction 1 1 1 Temperature C. 500 500 500 Pressure kg/cm2 1.15309 1.15309 1.15309 Enthalpy kcal/hr 410945.746 433890.844 18334.3418 Entropy kcal/K/hr 929.212 1113.85 34.89752 Vapor Density kg/m3 0.4624083 0.351273 6.12671 Liquid 1 Density kg/m3 Liquid 1 Specific Gravity 60 F.@STP Vapor Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 13.60159 10.36102 167.62174 Vapor Cv kcal/kgmo/C. 11.60822 8.37071 165.50288 Liquid 1 Cp kcal/kgmo/C. Vapor Viscosity cP 0.026881 0.0258333 0.0166158 Liquid 1 Viscosity cP Vapor Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.0914342 0.0974512 0.0383433 Liquid 1 Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. Vapor Flowrate m3v(NTP)/hr 1603.82705 2110.29555 7.07083 Liquid 1 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Liquid 2 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Molecular Weight 26.2756 19.9695 342.3019 Molar Flowrate kgmol/hr 71.5652 94.1646 0.315511 Mass Flowrate kg/hr 1880.418569 1880.41998 108.0000148 Note: All Liquid 1 Phase calculations exclude Free Water Molar Flowrate By Component 200: D-Glucose kgmol/hr 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose kgmol/hr 2.20858 0.445562 0.315511 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 62: WATER kgmol/hr 52.3323 42.2031 0 48: CARBON MONOXIDE kgmol/hr 5.66596 2.08022 0 1: HYDROGEN kgmol/hr 11.3563 24.9749 0 2: METHANE kgmol/hr 0.002054 7.81226 0 49: CARBON DIOXIDE kgmol/hr 0 16.5541 0 65: ACETYLENE kgmol/hr 0  5.637E−12 0 40: BENZENE kgmol/hr 0  5.338E−16 0 3: ETHANE kgmol/hr  1.442E−10 0.00007558 0 4: PROPANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE kgmol/hr  1.332E−09  5.602E−07 0 1088: PHENOL kgmol/hr 0  1.121E−15 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE kgmol/hr  9.511E−16  2.044E−10 0 6: N-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0  7.099E−14 0 5: I-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0  4.108E−14 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0  1.714E−14 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0  1.714E−14 0 66: PROPYNE kgmol/hr  1.797E−16   7.64E−15 0 3114: 2-BUTYNE kgmol/hr   1.76E−09 0.094368 0 Total kgmol/hr 71.5652 94.1646 0.315511 Molar Composition By Component 200: D-Glucose molar % 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose molar % 3.086108891 0.473173571 100 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE molar % 0 0 0 62: WATER molar % 73.12534584 44.81843495 0 48: CARBON MONOXIDE molar % 7.91719998 2.209131669 0 1: HYDROGEN molar % 15.8684668 26.52259979 0 2: METHANE molar % 0.00287011 8.29638739 0 49: CARBON DIOXIDE molar % 0 17.57996105 0 65: ACETYLENE molar % 0 5.98633E−12 0 40: BENZENE molar % 0  5.6688E−16 0 3: ETHANE molar % 2.01495E−10 8.02637E−05 0 4: PROPANE molar % 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE molar % 1.86124E−09 5.94916E−07 0 1088: PHENOL molar % 0 1.19047E−15 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE molar % 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE molar %  1.329E−15 2.17067E−10 0 6: N-BUTANE molar % 0 7.53893E−14 0 5: I-BUTANE molar % 0 4.36257E−14 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 1.82022E−14 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 1.82022E−14 0 66: PROPYNE molar %  2.511E−16 8.11345E−15 0 3114: 2-BUTYNE molar %  2.4593E−09 0.100216005 0 Total molar % 100 100 100 Stream Number 8 9 10 Stream Name Strm 8 Strm 9 Strm 10 Thermo Method Option GLOBAL CHANGED GLOBAL Vapor Fraction 1 1 1 Temperature C. 500 267 499.83311 Pressure kg/cm2 1.15309 1.03323 1.03323 Enthalpy kcal/hr 415533.433 121.05274 415654.486 Entropy kcal/K/hr 1075.271 0.1986506 1096.144 Vapor Density kg/m3 0.3322084 0.4077036 0.2977284 Liquid 1 Density kg/m3 Liquid 1 Specific Gravity 60 F.@STP Vapor Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 9.83285 8.59419 9.83058 Vapor Cv kcal/kgmo/C. 7.84266 6.57159 7.84075 Liquid 1 Cp kcal/kgmo/C. Vapor Viscosity cP 0.0253123 0.0189224 0.0253076 Liquid 1 Viscosity cP Vapor Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.0985838 0.0343274 0.0985339 Liquid 1 Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. Vapor Flowrate m3v(NTP)/hr 2103.22472 1.24398 2104.4687 Liquid 1 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Liquid 2 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Molecular Weight 18.8858 18.0153 18.8853 Molar Flowrate kgmol/hr 93.849 0.055508 93.9046 Mass Flowrate kg/hr 1772.413444 0.999993272 1773.416542 Note: All Liquid 1 Phase calculations exclude Free Water Molar Flowrate By Component 200: D-Glucose kgmol/hr 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose kgmol/hr 0.130051 0 0.130051 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 62: WATER kgmol/hr 42.2031 0.055508 42.2586 48: CARBON MONOXIDE kgmol/hr 2.08022 0 2.08022 1: HYDROGEN kgmol/hr 24.9749 0 24.9749 2: METHANE kgmol/hr 7.81226 0 7.81226 49: CARBON DIOXIDE kgmol/hr 16.5541 0 16.5541 65: ACETYLENE kgmol/hr  5.637E−12 0  5.637E−12 40: BENZENE kgmol/hr  5.338E−16 0  5.338E−16 3: ETHANE kgmol/hr 0.00007558 0 0.00007558 4: PROPANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE kgmol/hr  5.602E−07 0  5.602E−07 1088: PHENOL kgmol/hr  1.121E−15 0  1.121E−15 45: ETHYLBENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE kgmol/hr  2.044E−10 0  2.044E−10 6: N-BUTANE kgmol/hr  7.099E−14 0  7.099E−14 5: I-BUTANE kgmol/hr  4.108E−14 0  4.108E−14 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr  1.714E−14 0  1.714E−14 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr  1.714E−14 0  1.714E−14 66: PROPYNE kgmol/hr   7.64E−15 0   7.64E−15 3114: 2-BUTYNE kgmol/hr 0 0.094368 Total kgmol/hr 93.849 0.055508 93.9046 Molar Composition By Component 200: D-Glucose molar % 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose molar % 0.138574732 0 0.138492683 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE molar % 0 0 0 62: WATER molar % 44.96915257 100 45.00162931 48: CARBON MONOXIDE molar % 2.216560645 0 2.215248241 1: HYDROGEN molar % 26.61179128 0 26.5960347 2: METHANE molar % 8.324286886 0 8.319358157 49: CARBON DIOXIDE molar % 17.6390798 0 17.62863587 65: ACETYLENE molar % 6.00646E−12 0  6.0029E−12 40: BENZENE molar % 5.68786E−16 0 5.68449E−16 3: ETHANE molar % 8.05336E−05 0 8.04859E−05 4: PROPANE molar % 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE molar % 5.96916E−07 0 5.96563E−07 1088: PHENOL molar % 1.19447E−15 0 1.19376E−15 45: ETHYLBENZENE molar % 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE molar % 2.17797E−10 0 2.17668E−10 6: N-BUTANE molar % 7.56428E−14 0  7.5598E−14 5: I-BUTANE molar % 4.37724E−14 0 4.37465E−14 27: I-BUTENE molar % 1.82634E−14 0 1.82526E−14 27: I-BUTENE molar % 1.82634E−14 0 1.82526E−14 66: PROPYNE molar % 8.14074E−15 0 8.13592E−15 3114: 2-BUTYNE molar % 0 0.10049348 Total molar % 100 100 100 Stream Number 11 12 14 Stream Name Strm 11 Strm 12 Strm 14 Thermo Method Option GLOBAL GLOBAL GLOBAL Vapor Fraction 1 1 0.6603743 Temperature C. 875 875 4.4 Pressure kg/cm2 0.9981011 0.9981011 0.894778 Enthalpy kcal/hr 784222.539 817911.152 −407395.817 Entropy kcal/K/hr 1489.791 1599.197 −1013.643 Vapor Density kg/m3 0.193587 0.1609311 0.551586 Liquid 1 Density kg/m3 1037.15161 Liquid 1 Specific Gravity 60 F.@STP 0.9999917 Vapor Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 11.06725 9.15389 7.20069 Vapor Cv kcal/kgmo/C. 9.07945 7.16653 5.2086 Liquid 1 Cp kcal/kgmo/C. Vapor Viscosity cP 0.0335965 0.032694 0.0119112 Liquid 1 Viscosity cP 1.54882 Vapor Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.1559868 0.1819838 0.0642739 Liquid 1 Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.4896245 Vapor Flowrate m3v(NTP)/hr 2104.4687 2531.34933 1671.63813 Liquid 1 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Liquid 2 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr 182.78458 Molecular Weight 18.8853 15.7005 15.7005 Molar Flowrate kgmol/hr 93.9046 112.9526 112.9526 Mass Flowrate kg/hr 1773.416542 1773.412296 1773.412296 Note: All Liquid 1 Phase calculations exclude Free Water Molar Flowrate By Component 200: D-Glucose kgmol/hr 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose kgmol/hr 0.130051  4.408E−15  4.408E−15 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 62: WATER kgmol/hr 42.2586 39.0616 39.0616 48: CARBON MONOXIDE kgmol/hr 2.08022 16.9496 16.9496 1: HYDROGEN kgmol/hr 24.9749 45.5062 45.5062 2: METHANE kgmol/hr 7.81226 0.002054 0.002054 49: CARBON DIOXIDE kgmol/hr 16.5541 11.4332 11.4332 65: ACETYLENE kgmol/hr  5.637E−12  1.176E−10  1.176E−10 40: BENZENE kgmol/hr  5.338E−16 0 0 3: ETHANE kgmol/hr 0.00007558  1.443E−10  1.443E−10 4: PROPANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE kgmol/hr  5.602E−07  1.334E−09  1.334E−09 1088: PHENOL kgmol/hr  1.121E−15 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE kgmol/hr  2.044E−10   9.52E−16   9.52E−16 6: N-BUTANE kgmol/hr  7.099E−14 0 0 5: I-BUTANE kgmol/hr  4.108E−14 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr  1.714E−14 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr  1.714E−14 0 0 66: PROPYNE kgmol/hr   7.64E−15  1.798E−16  1.798E−16 3114: 2-BUTYNE kgmol/hr  1.761E−09  1.761E−09 Total kgmol/hr 93.9046 112.953 112.953 Molar Composition By Component 200: D-Glucose molar % 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose molar % 0.138492683 3.90251E−15 3.90251E−15 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE molar % 0 0 0 62: WATER molar % 45.00162931 34.58217135 34.58217135 48: CARBON MONOXIDE molar % 2.215248241 15.0058874 15.0058874 1: HYDROGEN molar % 26.5960347 40.28773029 40.28773029 2: METHANE molar % 8.319358157 0.001818455 0.001818455 49: CARBON DIOXIDE molar % 17.62863587 10.12208618 10.12208618 65: ACETYLENE molar %  6.0029E−12 1.04114E−10 1.04114E−10 40: BENZENE molar % 5.68449E−16 0 0 3: ETHANE molar % 8.04859E−05 1.27752E−10 1.27752E−10 4: PROPANE molar % 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE molar % 5.96563E−07 1.18102E−09 1.18102E−09 1088: PHENOL molar % 1.19376E−15 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE molar % 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE molar % 2.17668E−10 8.42828E−16 8.42828E−16 6: N-BUTANE molar %  7.5598E−14 0 0 5: I-BUTANE molar % 4.37465E−14 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 1.82526E−14 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 1.82526E−14 0 0 66: PROPYNE molar % 8.13592E−15 1.59181E−16 1.59181E−16 3114: 2-BUTYNE molar % 1.55906E−09 1.55906E−09 Total molar % 100 100 100 Stream Number 15 16 17 Stream Name Strm 15 Strm 16 Strm 17 Thermo Method Option GLOBAL CHANGED GLOBAL Vapor Fraction 1 0 1 Temperature C. 3.8523 3.8523 3.8523 Pressure kg/cm2 0.7914549 0.7914549 0.7914549 Enthalpy kcal/hr 2003.49464 −409399.315 2003.49464 Entropy kcal/K/hr 191.0706 −1186.391 191.0706 Vapor Density kg/m3 0.4889622 0.4889622 Liquid 1 Density kg/m3 1037.60562 Liquid 1 Specific Gravity 60 F.@STP Vapor Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 7.1993 7.1993 Vapor Cv kcal/kgmo/C. 5.20779 5.20779 Liquid 1 Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 18.09128 Vapor Viscosity cP 0.0118909 0.0118909 Liquid 1 Viscosity cP 1.57615 Vapor Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.0640952 0.0640952 Liquid 1 Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.4887219 Vapor Flowrate m3v(NTP)/hr 1673.04691 1673.04691 Liquid 1 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Liquid 2 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr 182.47997 Molecular Weight 14.5114 18.0184 14.5114 Molar Flowrate kgmol/hr 74.6539 38.2987 74.6539 Mass Flowrate kg/hr 1083.332604 690.0812961 1083.332604 Note: All Liquid 1 Phase calculations exclude Free Water Molar Flowrate By Component 200: D-Glucose kgmol/hr 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose kgmol/hr  4.408E−15  1.431E−20  4.408E−15 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 62: WATER kgmol/hr 0.76774 38.2936 0.76774 48: CARBON MONOXIDE kgmol/hr 16.9495 0.000132 16.9495 1: HYDROGEN kgmol/hr 45.5061 0.000297 45.5061 2: METHANE kgmol/hr 0.002054  2.301E−08 0.002054 49: CARBON DIOXIDE kgmol/hr 11.4285 0.004673 11.4285 65: ACETYLENE kgmol/hr  1.176E−10  3.819E−16 0 40: BENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 3: ETHANE kgmol/hr  1.443E−10  2.064E−15  1.443E−10 4: PROPANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE kgmol/hr  1.334E−09  5.218E−14  1.334E−09 1088: PHENOL kgmol/hr 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE kgmol/hr  9.519E−16  6.283E−20  9.519E−16 6: N-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE kgmol/hr  1.798E−16 0  1.798E−16 3114: 2-BUTYNE kgmol/hr  1.761E−09  5.718E−15  1.761E−09 Total kgmol/hr 74.6539 38.2987 74.6539 Molar Composition By Component 200: D-Glucose molar % 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose molar % 5.90458E−15 3.73642E−20 5.90458E−15 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE molar % 0 0 0 62: WATER molar % 1.028399052 99.98668362 1.028399052 48: CARBON MONOXIDE molar % 22.70410521 0.000344659 22.70410521 1: HYDROGEN molar % 60.95609205 0.000775483 60.95609205 2: METHANE molar % 0.002751363 6.00804E−08 0.002751363 49: CARBON DIOXIDE molar % 15.30864429 0.012201459 15.30864429 65: ACETYLENE molar % 1.57527E−10 9.97162E−16 0 40: BENZENE molar % 0 0 0 3: ETHANE molar % 1.93292E−10 5.38922E−15 1.93292E−10 4: PROPANE molar % 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE molar % 1.78691E−09 1.36245E−13 1.78691E−09 1088: PHENOL molar % 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE molar % 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE molar % 1.27508E−15 1.64053E−19 1.27508E−15 6: N-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE molar % 2.40845E−16 0 2.40845E−16 3114: 2-BUTYNE molar % 2.35889E−09  1.493E−14 2.35889E−09 Total molar % 100 100 100 Stream Number 19 20 21 Stream Name Strm 19 Strm 20 Strm 21 Thermo Method Option GLOBAL GLOBAL CHANGED Vapor Fraction 1 1 1 Temperature C. 635.45059 260 260 Pressure kg/cm2 21.09209 21.08505 21.09209 Enthalpy kcal/hr 366570.079 144383.986 57054.8364 Entropy kcal/K/hr 380.4712 65.87408 −92.54735 Vapor Density kg/m3 3.95258 6.72517 9.07162 Liquid 1 Density kg/m3 Liquid 1 Specific Gravity 60 F.@STP Vapor Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 8.17398 7.68643 10.81732 Vapor Cv kcal/kgmo/C. 6.18082 5.67534 7.68247 Liquid 1 Cp kcal/kgmo/C. Vapor Viscosity cP 0.0314229 0.0197539 0.0183392 Liquid 1 Viscosity cP Vapor Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.1824967 0.1109855 0.0380113 Liquid 1 Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. Vapor Flowrate m3v(NTP)/hr 1673.04691 1673.04691 702.22658 Liquid 1 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Liquid 2 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Molecular Weight 14.5114 14.5114 18.0153 Molar Flowrate kgmol/hr 74.6539 74.6539 31.3344 Mass Flowrate kg/hr 1083.332604 1083.332604 564.4986163 Note: All Liquid 1 Phase calculations exclude Free Water Molar Flowrate By Component 200: D-Glucose kgmol/hr 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose kgmol/hr  4.408E−15  4.408E−15 0 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 62: WATER kgmol/hr 0.76774 0.76774 31.3344 48: CARBON MONOXIDE kgmol/hr 16.9495 16.9495 0 1: HYDROGEN kgmol/hr 45.5061 45.5061 0 2: METHANE kgmol/hr 0.002054 0.002054 0 49: CARBON DIOXIDE kgmol/hr 11.4285 11.4285 0 65: ACETYLENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 40: BENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 3: ETHANE kgmol/hr  1.443E−10  1.443E−10 0 4: PROPANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE kgmol/hr  1.334E−09  1.334E−09 0 1088: PHENOL kgmol/hr 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE kgmol/hr  9.519E−16  9.519E−16 0 6: N-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE kgmol/hr  1.798E−16  1.798E−16 0 3114: 2-BUTYNE kgmol/hr  1.761E−09  1.761E−09 0 Total kgmol/hr 74.6539 74.6539 31.3344 Molar Composition By Component 200: D-Glucose molar % 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose molar % 5.90458E−15 5.90458E−15 0 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE molar % 0 0 0 62: WATER molar % 1.028399052 1.028399052 100 48: CARBON MONOXIDE molar % 22.70410521 22.70410521 0 1: HYDROGEN molar % 60.95609205 60.95609205 0 2: METHANE molar % 0.002751363 0.002751363 0 49: CARBON DIOXIDE molar % 15.30864429 15.30864429 0 65: ACETYLENE molar % 0 0 0 40: BENZENE molar % 0 0 0 3: ETHANE molar % 1.93292E−10 1.93292E−10 0 4: PROPANE molar % 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE molar % 1.78691E−09 1.78691E−09 0 1088: PHENOL molar % 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE molar % 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE molar % 1.27508E−15 1.27508E−15 0 6: N-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE molar % 2.40845E−16 2.40845E−16 0 3114: 2-BUTYNE molar % 2.35889E−09 2.35889E−09 0 Total molar % 100 100 100 Stream Number 22 23 24 Stream Name Strm 22 Strm 23 Strm 24 Thermo Method Option GLOBAL GLOBAL GLOBAL Vapor Fraction 1 1 0.8030047 Temperature C. 256.87599 375.08737 4.4 Pressure kg/cm2 21.08505 18.62596 18.47098 Enthalpy kcal/hr 201438.822 312069.389 −220645.816 Entropy kcal/K/hr 155.5943 348.3435 −990.4445 Vapor Density kg/m3 7.32523 5.26004 11.74154 Liquid 1 Density kg/m3 1040.04221 Liquid 1 Specific Gravity 60 F.@STP 0.9973416 Vapor Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 8.16233 8.50312 7.5658 Vapor Cv kcal/kgmo/C. 6.08656 6.48094 5.45328 Liquid 1 Cp kcal/kgmo/C. Vapor Viscosity cP 0.018348 0.0209351 0.0117894 Liquid 1 Viscosity cP 1.54603 Vapor Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.085113 0.1137605 0.0701938 Liquid 1 Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.4903894 Vapor Flowrate m3v(NTP)/hr 2375.27349 2375.27349 1907.35568 Liquid 1 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Liquid 2 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr 100.38398 Molecular Weight 15.5473 15.5473 15.5473 Molar Flowrate kgmol/hr 105.9883 105.9883 105.9883 Mass Flowrate kg/hr 1647.831897 1647.831897 1647.831897 Note: All Liquid 1 Phase calculations exclude Free Water Molar Flowrate By Component 200: D-Glucose kgmol/hr 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose kgmol/hr  4.408E−15  4.408E−15  4.408E−15 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 62: WATER kgmol/hr 32.1021 20.821 20.8209 48: CARBON MONOXIDE kgmol/hr 16.9495 5.66831 5.66831 1: HYDROGEN kgmol/hr 45.5061 56.7872 56.7872 2: METHANE kgmol/hr 0.002054 0.002054 0.002054 49: CARBON DIOXIDE kgmol/hr 11.4285 22.7097 22.7097 65: ACETYLENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 40: BENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 3: ETHANE kgmol/hr  1.443E−10  1.443E−10  1.443E−10 4: PROPANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE kgmol/hr  1.334E−09  1.334E−09  1.334E−09 1088: PHENOL kgmol/hr 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE kgmol/hr  9.519E−16  9.519E−16  9.519E−16 6: N-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE kgmol/hr  1.798E−16  1.798E−16  1.798E−16 3114: 2-BUTYNE kgmol/hr  1.761E−09  1.761E−09  1.761E−09 Total kgmol/hr 105.988 105.988 105.988 Molar Composition By Component 200: D-Glucose molar % 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose molar % 4.15896E−15 4.15896E−15 4.15896E−15 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE molar % 0 0 0 62: WATER molar % 30.28842888 19.64467676 19.64458241 48: CARBON MONOXIDE molar % 15.99190474 5.348067706 5.348067706 1: HYDROGEN molar % 42.9351436 53.57889572 53.57889572 2: METHANE molar % 0.001937955 0.001937955 0.001937955 49: CARBON DIOXIDE molar % 10.78282447 21.42667094 21.42667094 65: ACETYLENE molar % 0 0 0 40: BENZENE molar % 0 0 0 3: ETHANE molar % 1.36147E−10 1.36147E−10 1.36147E−10 4: PROPANE molar % 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE molar % 1.25863E−09 1.25863E−09 1.25863E−09 1088: PHENOL molar % 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE molar % 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE molar % 8.98121E−16 8.98121E−16 8.98121E−16 6: N-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE molar % 1.69642E−16 1.69642E−16 1.69642E−16 3114: 2-BUTYNE molar % 1.66151E−09 1.66151E−09 1.66151E−09 Total molar % 100 100 100 Stream Number 25 26 27 Stream Name Strm 25 Strm 26 Strm 27 Thermo Method Option CHANGED GLOBAL GLOBAL Vapor Fraction 0 1 1 Temperature C. 4.39847 4.39847 4.39847 Pressure kg/cm2 18.46043 18.46043 18.46043 Enthalpy kcal/hr −221779.766 1134.09787 1651.37154 Entropy kcal/K/hr −643.5034 −346.8443 −255.336 Vapor Density kg/m3 11.7349 1.56295 Liquid 1 Density kg/m3 1040.04201 Liquid 1 Specific Gravity 60 F.@STP Vapor Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 7.56569 6.92733 Vapor Cv kcal/kgmo/C. 5.45325 4.9238 Liquid 1 Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 18.04647 Vapor Viscosity cP 0.0117892 0.0086131 Liquid 1 Viscosity cP 1.54611 Vapor Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.0701924 0.1437823 Liquid 1 Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.4903864 Vapor Flowrate m3v(NTP)/hr 1907.35804 1018.04118 Liquid 1 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Liquid 2 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr 100.383 Molecular Weight 18.1334 14.9129 2.0159 Molar Flowrate kgmol/hr 20.8791 85.1092 45.4265 Mass Flowrate kg/hr 378.6090719 1269.224989 91.57528135 Note: All Liquid 1 Phase calculations exclude Free Water Molar Flowrate By Component 200: D-Glucose kgmol/hr 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose kgmol/hr  1.596E−19  4.408E−15 0 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 62: WATER kgmol/hr 20.7773 0.043565 0 48: CARBON MONOXIDE kgmol/hr 0.00048 5.66783 0 1: HYDROGEN kgmol/hr 0.004106 56.7832 45.4265 2: METHANE kgmol/hr  2.447E−07 0.002054 0 49: CARBON DIOXIDE kgmol/hr 0.09716 22.6126 0 65: ACETYLENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 40: BENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 3: ETHANE kgmol/hr  2.097E−14  1.442E−10 0 4: PROPANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE kgmol/hr  5.284E−13  1.333E−09 0 1088: PHENOL kgmol/hr 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE kgmol/hr  4.697E−19  9.515E−16 0 6: N-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE kgmol/hr 0  1.797E−16 0 3114: 2-BUTYNE kgmol/hr  6.377E−14  1.761E−09 0 Total kgmol/hr 20.8791 85.1092 45.4265 Molar Composition By Component 200: D-Glucose molar % 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose molar % 7.64401E−19 5.17923E−15 0 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE molar % 0 0 0 62: WATER molar % 99.51243109 0.051187181 0 48: CARBON MONOXIDE molar % 0.00229895 6.659479821 0 1: HYDROGEN molar % 0.019665599 66.71805163 100 2: METHANE molar % 1.17199E−06 0.00241337 0 49: CARBON DIOXIDE molar % 0.465345729 26.56892557 0 65: ACETYLENE molar % 0 0 0 40: BENZENE molar % 0 0 0 3: ETHANE molar % 1.00435E−13 1.69429E−10 0 4: PROPANE molar % 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE molar % 2.53076E−12 1.56622E−09 0 1088: PHENOL molar % 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE molar % 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE molar % 2.24962E−18 1.11798E−15 0 6: N-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE molar % 0 2.11141E−16 0 3114: 2-BUTYNE molar % 3.05425E−13 2.06911E−09 0 Total molar % 100 100 100 Stream Number 28 29 30 Stream Name Strm 28 Strm 29 Strm 30 Thermo Method Option GLOBAL GLOBAL GLOBAL Vapor Fraction 0.9994618 1 0.9979077 Temperature C. 4.39847 4.39847 4.39847 Pressure kg/cm2 18.46043 18.46043 18.46043 Enthalpy kcal/hr −2251.94686 −4036.65963 114.87892 Entropy kcal/K/hr −156.1731 −138.7223 −75.53467 Vapor Density kg/m3 24.30074 39.15895 8.31097 Liquid 1 Density kg/m3 1043.39783 1036.9372 Liquid 1 Specific Gravity 60 F.@STP 0.9949659 0.9997428 Vapor Cp kcal/kgmo/C. 8.5313 10.31671 6.99413 Vapor Cv kcal/kgmo/C. 6.12765 7.1849 4.95039 Liquid 1 Cp kcal/kgmo/C. Vapor Viscosity cP 0.0150956 0.0144267 0.0112137 Liquid 1 Viscosity cP 1.54611 1.54611 Vapor Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.0353254 0.0165414 0.0772689 Liquid 1 Thermal Conductivity kcal/m/hr/C. 0.4903864 0.4903864 Vapor Flowrate m3v(NTP)/hr 888.83821 506.76397 381.75248 Liquid 1 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr Liquid 2 Flowrate m3l(NTP)/hr 0.1036698 0.1701677 Molecular Weight 29.6766 44.0099 10.6895 Molar Flowrate kgmol/hr 39.6827 22.6126 17.0701 Mass Flowrate kg/hr 1177.647615 995.1782647 182.470834 Note: All Liquid 1 Phase calculations exclude Free Water Molar Flowrate By Component 200: D-Glucose kgmol/hr 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose kgmol/hr  4.408E−15 0  4.408E−15 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 62: WATER kgmol/hr 0.043565 0 0.043565 48: CARBON MONOXIDE kgmol/hr 5.66783 0 5.66783 1: HYDROGEN kgmol/hr 11.3566 0 11.3566 2: METHANE kgmol/hr 0.002054 0 0.002054 49: CARBON DIOXIDE kgmol/hr 22.6126 22.6126 0 65: ACETYLENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 40: BENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 3: ETHANE kgmol/hr  1.442E−10 0  1.442E−10 4: PROPANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE kgmol/hr  1.333E−09 0  1.333E−09 1088: PHENOL kgmol/hr 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE kgmol/hr  9.515E−16 0  9.515E−16 6: N-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE kgmol/hr 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE kgmol/hr  1.797E−16 0  1.797E−16 3114: 2-BUTYNE kgmol/hr  1.761E−09 0  1.761E−09 Total kgmol/hr 39.6827 22.6126 17.0701 Molar Composition By Component 200: D-Glucose molar % 0 0 0 201: Cellubiose molar % 1.11081E−14 0 2.58229E−14 1245: SODIUM CHLORIDE molar % 0 0 0 62: WATER molar % 0.109783356 0 0.25521233 48: CARBON MONOXIDE molar % 14.2828739 0 33.20326184 1: HYDROGEN molar % 28.61851638 0 66.52919432 2: METHANE molar % 0.005176059 0 0.012032736 49: CARBON DIOXIDE molar % 56.98352179 100 0 65: ACETYLENE molar % 0 0 0 40: BENZENE molar % 0 0 0 3: ETHANE molar % 3.63383E−10 0 8.44752E−10 4: PROPANE molar % 0 0 0 22: ETHYLENE molar % 3.35915E−09 0 7.80898E−09 1088: PHENOL molar % 0 0 0 45: ETHYLBENZENE molar % 0 0 0 23: PROPYLENE molar % 2.39777E−15 0 5.57407E−15 6: N-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 5: I-BUTANE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 27: I-BUTENE molar % 0 0 0 66: PROPYNE molar % 4.52842E−16 0 1.05272E−15 3114: 2-BUTYNE molar % 4.4377E−09 0 1.03163E−08 Total molar % 100 100 100

The purpose of this optimization was to maximize the hydrogen production, minimize the need for electric grid power to operate the plant, and produce dry ice (liquid carbonic) product. The feedstock in this example is the dimer of cellulose, called cellubiose. This dimer portion of the large cellulose chain is replicated some 25,000 to 250,000 times.

The biomass enters the rotary kiln steam reformer as a solid and/or liquid phase together with the recycle gases. Within the kiln this mixture is heated, volatiles are vaporized, solids are chemically broken and decomposed, and the mixture is further heated as it moves from left to right through the kiln. At the end of the kiln, solids are removed. These solids are about 15% (by mass) of the biomass feed. With an agricultural or forest biomass feedstock, this solid product stream is a valuable freely-flowing, gravel-like, slow-release form of phosphorus/potassium fertilizer. The gases generated inside the kiln react with the water that enters with the biomass and with any additional water that comes with the recycle stream. The steam/carbon dioxide reforming chemical reaction is endothermic (it requires supplying energy) and occurs as the key step in the process generating a syngas stream consisting of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water and other light gases, such as methane, ethane, ethylene, etc.

The hot syngas leaving the rotary kiln is heated, mixed with hot superheated steam, and enters the vertical steam reformer where it is further heated to complete the steam/carbon dioxide reforming reaction producing the highest concentration of hydrogen with the least amount of other organic contaminants, such as higher hydrocarbons and aromatics.

Intellergy's system addresses biomass phase-change as a solid-to-vapor chemical decomposition. The biomass is decomposed into a vapor by breaking the chemical bonds. This process is not the classical solid-to-liquid transition (heat of melting), or the liquid-to-vapor transition (heat of vaporization).

As these molecular fragments move through the kiln, the temperature increases, causing further decomposition by the hydroxyl radical attacking and breaking the next stronger bond, such as carbon-carbon bonds. The last and toughest bonds to be attacked are the aromatic carbon-carbon bonds. This decomposition results in the aromatic ring coming apart which creates other organic gases such as ethane, ethylene and butyne. Small amounts of these gases can recombine to form other very stable aromatic compounds.

This very hot syngas leaving the steam reformer passes through heat exchangers to recover energy to supply heat to processing equipment or to generate steam for process use and/or power generation. The cool hydrogen-rich syngas is passed to the hydrogen purification section, shown in the on the right-hand portion of the graphic in FIG. 2, where the carbon monoxide is reacted with more superheated steam to form carbon dioxide and additional hydrogen as well as release of heat. This rich hydrogen gas mixture is purified in a commercial pressure swing adsorption unit yielding a high purity hydrogen stream ranging from 99.9% to 99.99% purity. The remaining carbon dioxide and other light gases pass overhead into the carbon dioxide recovery system. Here a clean carbon dioxide stream is produced that feeds a commercial carbon dioxide liquefaction plant where either liquid carbon dioxide (liquid carbonic) or dry ice is produced. The remaining light gases are recycled to the kiln.

Referring to FIG. 7 the simulation modules M-1, H-2, H-20, S-4, and R-3 model the commercial rotary kiln. M-1 mixes the feed biomass with the recycle gases adiabatically. The H-20 module preheats the recycle gas while the H-2 module adds enough heat to the material leaving M-1 to change its phase to a vapor and heat it to 400 to 500° C. Module S-4 removes the freely-flowing granular residue, 15% of the biomass on a dry basis, which is formed in the rotary kiln. This residue is high in carbon content. R-3 calculates the equilibrium vapor composition using Gibbs Free Energy minimization isothermally at 400 to 500° C. The heat added to the commercial kiln is supplied by recovered process heat and trimmed with electric heat to control the reaction temperature at 400° to 500° C.

Simulation modules M-5, H-6, and R-7 model the commercial steam reformer. M-5 mixes the product from the rotary kiln at 1 atmosphere with superheated steam added at 300 PSIA and 267° C. Module H-6 heats the steam reformer feed to around 875° C. The steam reformer, R-7, is modeled as an isothermal reactor. The heat added to the commercial steam reformer is supplied by recovered process heat and trimmed with electric heat to control the reaction temperature at around 875° C.

Module X-8 models a commercial heat exchanger cooling the steam reformer effluent while recovering energy to be returned to the process. Water is condensed and removed in module F-9 which models a commercial vapor liquid separator. The vapor leaving F-9 flows through module S-10, a commercial carbon bed adsorber, where small amounts of aromatic organic compounds are removed. The vapor leaving S-10 flows to C-11, a 3-stage compressor that increases the process pressure to 300 PSIA. Heat exchanger module X-14 removes the heat of compression cooling the vapor to 260° C. In practice, X-14 models the compressor first and second stage intercoolers and the 3 stage after-cooler.

M-12 mixes the vapor from C-11 with superheated steam and the combined flow enters the carbon monoxide shift converter, R-13. The shift converter is modeled as an adiabatic reactor. This reactor converts water and carbon monoxide to desired carbon dioxide and hydrogen products. Energy is recovered in heat exchanger, X-15. This energy is returned back to the process. The water that condenses in X-15 is removed in vapor-liquid separator F-16. The vapor from separator, F-16, flows to a pressure swing adsorption unit where 80% of the hydrogen leaving F-16 is recovered as product with 99.9% purity. The remaining vapor leaving the pressure swing adsorption unit flows to the carbon dioxide recovery system, module S-18. S-18 models the carbon dioxide recovery system as a simple separation device. In practice this equipment could be a membrane system or an amine system with a liquid carbonic and/or dry ice production unit. The vapor leaving S-18 flows to heater, H-20, preheating the vapor prior to feeding the rotary kiln.

A significant advantage of this process configuration with the major recycle loop carrying the unconverted hydrogen and other light gases from the PSA unit, is that these gases are further converted in the steam/CO₂ reforming units to make more hydrogen product, as required in the mass balance dictating that the hydrogen coming in with the feedstock must leave the process as the hydrogen product. Additional or higher conversion stages in the PSA unit are not needed when this recycle loop is used.

To validate the process simulation predictions, a biomass sample of grape pomace, available in huge quantity from the wine industry, was test-run in a pilot unit as illustrated in FIG. 2, less the hydrogen purification and liquid carbonic steps, to produce the syngas stream. This measured syngas stream was compared with WinSim's Design-2 process simulation prediction below in Table 1.

Comparison of Pomace Produced Syn₂ as with Simulation Results

TABLE 1 Component Test Results Simulation Prediction Hydrogen 59.4% 61.4% Oxygen + Argon*   0% Nitrogen*   0% Carbon Monoxide 32.4% 31.3% Carbon Dioxide 2.96%  6.2% Methane  5.1% Ethane, acetylene, ethylene  570 ppm <940 ppm Propane**   98 ppm Butanes**   60 ppm Benzene** 198.4 ppm    1 ppb C7 and above**  380 ppm Hydrogen Sulfide** 59.8 ppm Carbonyl Sulfide** 1.74 ppm Methyl Mercaptan** 16.6 ppm Carbon Disulfide** 35.3 ppm *Air leakage accounted for. **In practice, these components will be removed by a zinc bed, carbon bed or are recycled to the kiln

The comparison of the test results and the simulation prediction of syngas is excellent. The kiln and steam/CO₂ reformer chemical reactors' process temperatures and steam content, in the simulation, match those of the pilot demonstration.

The energy balance was completed in order to identify where heat sources in the process can be used to provide the endothermic heat needed for the steam reforming chemistry discussed above. In the table below, it can be seen that the largest heat requirement is for the steam/CO₂ reforming kiln R-3 via heater H-2. The second stage steam/CO₂ reformer R-7 is supplied by induction heaters or by DC electrical resistance heat estimated at about 600 kW. For a 20 dry ton/day feedstock plant, this heat requirement is around 1200 kWt. This can be supplied by heat exchange-recovering heat in X-8 from the very hot syngas leaving the second stage steam/CO₂ reformer R-7, which is about 1200 kW. There is also heat available in X-15 from the exothermic CO shift unit that further enhances the hydrogen production where this heat can be used to drive a boiler to make the steam needed for the process. In this way, only a small amount of grid electricity around 560-760 kW is needed to drive the plant.

TABLE 5 Process Power Requirements Summary Cellobiose Pomace Chemical Formula C12—H22—O11 C12—H16—O6 KW KW Inputs Rotary Kiln 1189.41 1268.32 Steam Reformer 601.36 628.71 Compressors 207.12 276.21 Boiler 392.84 531.78 Product Purification 18.64 18.64 Outputs X-8 1292.01 1221.88 X-15 561.69 756.70 Total Power Load 555.67 745.07 Hydrogen Production, Kg/Hr 93.86 131.42 Carbon Dioxide Production, Kg/Hr 1020.22 1319.61 Power Demand, KW/Kg Hydrogen 5.92 5.67 The heat sources and heat demands are shown in Table 5 comparing cellulose (cellubiose dimer) and grape pomace winery waste. And they are very comparable. 

1. A system consisting of an improved rotary kiln for carrying out steam/CO₂ reforming, where the preferred features of waste volatilization, steam/CO₂ reforming, gas heat exchange, filtration and solid separation are combined into a single duplex kiln that uses in the primary region a heated hollow flight screw to begin the endothermic steam/CO₂ reforming of the biomass or waste feedstock, where the off-gases are carried into a second region where inductively-heated annular surfaces radiatively heat the gases to 800-1050° C. (1470-1920° F.) and particulate is removed so that these hot gases can pass now counter-currently through the central shaft and then through the hollow flight screw internal cavities to supply the reforming heat needed to do the endothermic chemistry and cool the syngas for kiln exit.
 2. A system in 1 that includes spiral vanes to carryout a cyclonic separation of entrained solids so that the syngas produced has high quality so to avoid detrimental effects of fuel cell poisoning arising from undesirable constituents in the waste.
 3. A system in 1 that includes an internal high-temperature porous ceramic or metal filter cartridge to further remove entrained solids so that the syngas produced has high quality so to avoid detrimental effects on downstream process units of catalyst poisoning arising from undesirable constituents in the waste.
 4. A process that provides the interface between a steam/CO₂ reforming waste conversion system generating syngas and a Fischer-Tropsch Unit that uses said syngas that makes paraffin wax product for carbon sequestration while recycling the light hydrocarbons off of the Fischer-Tropsch Unit, consisting of hydrogen, CO, CO₂, methane, ethane, propane, etc. to avoid their emissions as powerful greenhouse gases and also recycling the lighter hydrocarbons to help maintain a higher H₂/CO ratio of the syngas. The Fischer-Tropsch unit, which is exothermic, produces a large steam flow for turbine-generation of electricity and, thus, replaces the need for a fuel cell. This process method destroys the waste stream while at the same time the syngas is made to release energy without having to burn the waste or the syngas.
 5. A system of 1 where the kiln residue can be converted into carbon-containing fertilizer, and a carbon-sequestering, high-carbon content product of important commercial value.
 6. System of 4 where a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactor system is used to produce a high carbon content compound that can be sold into markets where it is never burned in its life cycle and therefore serves as a carbon sequestering agent and where the Fischer-Tropsch overhead stream containing hydrogen, CO, CO₂, methane, ethane and light paraffins are recycled back to the steam/CO₂ reformer in order to make use of their high hydrogen content to achieve the more desirable H₂/CO ratio around 1.0.
 7. A system of 4 where a Fischer-Tropsch unit combined with a parallel shift converter/pressure-swing absorption unit to accomplish the conversion of the syngas to commercially-marketable hydrogen fuel, ample steam to generate electrical power for the plant and for export, and a high-carbon content organic product paraffin that sequesters substantially the carbon in the waste stream—all without any burning of the waste or the syngas.
 8. A system of 7 where the light gases from the Fischer-Tropsch unit are recycled back to the steam reformer for destruction and avoiding release to the environment.
 9. A system of 7 where carbon dioxide and a portion of the hydrogen from the Shift and Pressure Swing Absorber units are recycled back to the steam reformer to adjust the H₂/CO ratio for optimum utilization in the Fischer-Tropsch unit.
 10. A system of 7 where small impurities in the syngas that could damage the sensitive catalysts in a high temperature fuel cell do not damage the more robust catalysts (i.e. iron or cobalt-based) in a Fischer-Tropsch unit.
 11. A system of 4 where the best clean-up of syngas impurities involves a process where there are both a high temperature filtration step and a sulfur-, chlorine-, and nitrogen containing compound removal step as well as a chilling and condensation step downstream which includes a HEP A filter and a guard bed to protect high temperature fuel cell electrochemical catalysts.
 12. A system of 4 where the best clean-up of syngas impurities involves a process where there are both a high temperature filtration step and a sulfur-, chlorine-, and nitrogen containing compound removal step as well as a chilling and condensation step downstream which includes a HEPA filter and a guard bed to protect Fischer-Tropsch catalysts.
 13. A system of 4 where a Fischer-Tropsch unit that is greatly simplified because its many tail or overhead streams can be used as recycle to the steam/CO₂ reforming process.
 14. A system of 6 where a heat recovering exothermic reactor that contains a supported catalyst immersed in water to maintain the catalyst at a constant temperature by the boiling of the water to make steam that is used to generate power.
 15. A system of 4 where a power recovery system that involve the combined use of a shift and PSA unit as well as the Fischer-Tropsch unit to make best use of recycle streams and waste heat.
 16. A system of 14 where an exothermic reactor consists of a Fischer-Tropsch reactor.
 17. A system of 14 where an exothermic reactor consists of a methanol synthesis reactor.
 18. A system of 14 where an exothermic reactor consists of a methanation reactor.
 19. A system of 1 where heat to the kiln sections doing endothermic steam/CO₂ reforming is supplied by recycling the syngas through the holoflite screw to heat the waste and do reforming.
 20. A system of 4 where hot syngas from a conventional kiln followed by the steam/CO₂ reformer is heat exchanged with another inert gas, such as carbon dioxide or air, to heat the kiln by indirect heating in the oven surrounding rotary kiln tube by means of a series of injection jets, where gas burners are normally located.
 21. (canceled) 